Eusvjatically-operated gun-carriage



(No Model.)

H. A. SPILLER. PNEUMATIGALLY OPERATED GUN CARRIAGE,

' INVENTOR- 3 Qg/W h1 1 pill? 14. I 7

Patented Nov. 1'7, 1891 iii-44;

I Z I. C\ K kl I ll rllllllllllllllll 'nrirnn 1 STATES PATENT @rrrcin HARRY SPILLER, F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR To THE PNEU- MATIC GUN CARRIAGE AND rowan COMPANY, or WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

PNEU WEATICALLY-O PER ATED GU N-CARRIAGE.

SPEOIFIGATIGN forming part of IlettersPatent No, 463,463, dated November 17, 1891.

' Application filed October 3, 1889. Serial No. 325,862. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern: Be it known that I, HARRY.A. SPILLER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Depressing Recoil-Ohecksfor Guns and PneumaticRotating Gun-Carriages, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact de- 1o, scription.

This invention relates to heavy guns, and particularly to what are known as disappearing gun-carriages, designed for the manipulation of such guns;

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby a gun may rapidlyand easily be moved into battery, and whereby, also, the recoil and counter-recoil of a gun may. automatically be taken up.

With this object in view the invention resides, essentially, in a disappearing gun-car riage comprising the usual pivoted beams, whereby the guns are moved into. and out of battery and supported when in battery, and a cylinder designed particularly toreceive compressed air,and a piston attached to one of the beams, the head of the-piston being of slightly-less diameter thanthe interior of the cylinderin-which itis to play to allow the o passage of a portion-of the air compressed during the movement of the piston-head. Furthermore, the invention resides in a disappearing gun-carriage comprising the pivoted beams -by which the gun is moved into 3 5 and out of battery, a cylinder designed to receive compressed air, a piston-rod connected with one of the pivoted beams and having its piston-head arranged in and of slightly-less diameter than the air-cylinder, an air-cham- 0 her located continuous to the cylinder,having a port or ports connecting the air-chamber and air-cylinder, and check valves arranged in the ports, these valves being arrangedto close when the pressure in the air- 5 chamber exceeds that in the cylinder and to open when the conditions are reversed,

Furthermore, the invention resides in a disappearing gun-carriage comprising pivoted beams for moving a gun into and out of batder, the air-chamber having ports connecting:-

with the air-cylinder, and a supplemental passage between the air-chamber and the aircylinder, and a cock for opening and closing the same. .7

Furthermore, the object of the invention resides in a disappearing gun-carriage having a rotating base provided with a rack or the like, and apneumatic engine connected with a pinion or the like engaging the carriage and imparting motion thereto.

Furthermore, the invention resides in va rious novel details of construction whereby theobjects of the invention are attained:

. I have illustrated the invention in the 'ac-' companying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a disappearing gun-carriage embodying my invention, the air-cylinder, air-chamber, and movable portion of-the base being shown'in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the parts between the air-chamber and air-cylinder, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

1 In the drawings, K represents the gun,which is shown-in Fig. l by dotted lines as in and by full lines as out of battery.

K and K are two arms or-links, each pivoted or journaled, at one end to the gun, the

link K being'the longer and the one nearer to the breech E of the gun K. The lower end of the link K is journaled or pivoted to the circular carriage L, carrying friction-rollers L and arranged to run on a circular and stationary way or bed-plate L, and otherwise to rotate by its vertical axial spindle L set in a step-block-L, formed on the bed-plate L. The link-beam K is pivoted at its lower end to the vertically-running segmental toothed rack or gear L meshing with avertical wormcylinder-L held on and turning and confined against lengthwise movement in a bearingmeshing-worm gear-wheels L L, one carried [O gun-carriage L, which for supportiugthegun.

out of battery has an immovable "cushioned rest-block L for the rest of the gun link-beam K,.all as well ,known,and so far described neither as awhole nor as totlle separate parts 15 forming any part of this invention.

M represents an air -cylinder immovably' held on the gun-carriage L and below the gun out of battery, in order at all times to be free" from injury from anenemys shots. With the gun out ofthe battery and its link K nestingon the rest-block L the axis'of the air-cylinder is 'in line with the axis of the journal connection of said link and gun, and, furthermore, situated as stated, it is oblique tothe vertical axis of rotation of the guncarriage, and the lower head M is toward the breech of the gun.

M is a piston-head capable of moving forward and backward the whole length of airo cylinder. M.

M is the piston-rod, which extends through I the upper head M of the -air-cylinder, suitably packed, and it is so placed as to be axially coincident with the axis of the piston- 5 head. Thepiston-headisofadiameterslightly less than the internal diameter of the aircylinder, thus leaving an'annnlar open space M entirely around and between it and the air-cylinder as it moves forward and back 0 ward thereon.

The piston-rod M at its projecting end portion is hung by a slotted bearing M upon a side and' lateral projecting pin K held on gun link-beam K and the axis of this pin is 5 coincident with a line through both end journals of the gun link-beam K and also coincident with the axial'line of the air-cylinder when the gun is out of battery and at rest, as stated. The slotted bearing M attached to the gun, is axially coincident with a line rn nning through the axes of the opposite end journals of the gun link-beam K audit is of a length suitable for the movements, as hereinafter appear, of the piston-rod and piston- 5 5 head, and without strain on either or on the said hanging of the former. The pin K of v the link-beam K engages and is free to turn on a slide-block L, held and free to move on and lengthwise of the guideway L at the lower side of and in a plane parallel with the oblique vertical plane of the axis of the aircylinder and extending upward from theupper head of the air-cylinder toward the nozzle of the gun. The arrangement of the mechanism as just described, and also otherwise, is

such that as the gun moves in and out of battery the piston-head moves from end to end of and upward and downward through the air-cylinder, and the slide-block upward and downward on its guideway, and with the gun in battery the piston-head is at the upper head, and with the gun out of battery it is at the lower head of the air-cylinder.

N is an air-chamber below' the lower head .and preferably in continuation of the air-cylin der M, though obviously it maybe made separate therefrom and made contiguous to the air-cylinder.

N N 2 are a series of ports or passages leading through the lower head of air-cylinder M and making an air communication between the air-cylinder and air-chamber.

N is a check-valve to each air-port N ar- I ranged automatically to open to the passage of air from the air-cylinder to the air-chamber, but to. close to the passage of air from the air-chamber to the air-cylinder.

N is a supplemental air-passage connectingair-chamber and air-cylinder and opening to the air-cylinder in close proximity to its lower head. This supplemental air-passage, for a purpose as hereinafter appears, f u rnishes communication between the air-chamber and air-cylinder separately and independently of the air-ports N and is opened or .closed by a hand-valve N having a handle N for convenience in operating it.

N is an air-passage opening to and to be used for charging the air-cylinder with air under pressure, any suitable and well-known means being used therefor. v

N is a check-valve in air-passage N to antomatically close by the pressure of air in aircylinder. a

The air-cylinder and its piston-head, with an annular open space around and between it and the air-cylinder, and the piston-rod iIo has

been described, constitute the mechanism of this invention, and by which,'in co-operation with compressed airintroduced into the aircylinder and air-chamber, to place the gun in and out of battery and to support it in battery, and in firing or discharging the gun to resistrecoil and counter-recoil of the gun.

. It is used and operatesasfollowsz The supplemental air-passage being closed and gun out of battery, the air-cylinder and air-charm.-

ber are charged with air under pressure and in opening the supplemental air-passage N the gun is raised and placed in battery, where it is supported by the air-pressure against the under side of the piston-head, the pistonhead being at the upper end of the air-cylinder. The gun being i-n-battery and thus sup ported and the supplemental air-passageN closed, all as explained, and the gun firedor.

discharged, the gun in recoil forcesthe-pistonhead downward through the air-cylinder, and

thereby compresses the air in the cylinder at the under side of the piston-head and the air in the air-chamber, and also, but to a'less degree, the air in the air-cylinder at the upper side of the piston-head, because of the escape of the air to the upper side of the pistonhead. On the counter-recoil of the gun the air above the piston-head acts in resistance thereto, resulting, in the return of the gun to position out of battery and at rest, with its link-beam K resting on the cushioned restblock L of the gun -carriage, ready to be again placed in battery on opening, the sup plemental air-passage N and thereby, as before, bringing the air confined in air-chamber N into action against the .under side of the piston-head. i

The upper and lower sides of the pistonhead are of unequal superficial -area, the

lower side having an area in excess of the area of the upper side of the piston-head equal to the area of the upper side occupied 'by the piston-rod, and from this difference in area of upper and lower sides of the pistonhead, air communication being had between upper and lower sides of the piston-head through the annular space M around the piston-head, in the movements of piston-head in der pressure, but following the counter-recoil the gun is finally brought by the air-pressure in air-cylinder to position out of battery.

L is an annular toothed rack concentri cally encircling the rotatinggun-carriage and having its teeth vertical and preferablyon the inner side i'n'order to -be protected. L

annular rack L.

is ayertical gear or pinion wheel meshing This pinion-wheel .Lt is held on and turns with a held and turning in a fixed bearing-block L of the gun-carriage,'and at its upper end has a horizontal gear-wheel L L is a vertical worm meshing the gearwheei L turning on a suitable bearing and support therefor of the gun-carriage. V L isa crank-arm turning with worsrn L and connected by pitman-rod L with the piston-rod L 'of the piston-head, (not shown,) arranged to move forward and backward in the piston-cylinder L of an air-engine of any suitable construction and arrangement.

The air-engine is supported and held on the gun-carriage or arranged contiguous thereto,

air-cylinder not only are the recoil and coun ter-recoil resisted by air in the air-cylinder 'unvertical stud L and L is a pipe supplying air to the air-en-.

gi-ne to work its piston-head, as well known. This air pipe or passage L connects the air-engine with a suitable air-supply of low pressure,

and it, as also the air pipe or passage N for the air-cylinder M, hereinbefore referredto and described, passes loosely through the axial the rotation of thegun-carriage on. its way andspindle L of" the rotating gun-carriage,and also the step-bearing L therefor, both 'ofi which are suitably bored out.

The air-engine. in operation accomplishes Letters Patent; is-

diameter than that of in either direction, according as may be desired for the position of the gun.

The air-cylinder is preferably held on the gun-carriage or other support for the gun, and the piston-rod is held on the gun or part moving therewith, all as has been herein particularlydescribed; but, however andobviously, the air-cylinder and piston-head and its rod may be reversed in positionthat isE-the air cylinder may be held on the gun or part mov ing therewith, and the piston-head and lts rod may be on the gun-carriage or other sup 1 port for the gun without material or substantial changes either in construction or relative arrangement of the parts, and this invention,

broadly considered, is not to belimited in these respects. With the parts reversed, as

above, explained, and with the'gun' out of bat tery, the piston-head is then at theifupper head of the air-cylinder. instead of at its lower head, and again the air-chamber is at the up-i perhead of theair-cylinder and in lieu of be- 'ing at its lower head. 7 v In conclusion,it will beiobserved that while air isthe fluid especially mentioned as used for the operation oft-he mechanism of this invention as herein described, the invention is not limited in that respect,-as steam, water,

.or gas may be used, if desired; and, again,

that the relatine construction and arrangement of air-cylinder, pistonhea'd, and its rod,

dependent of the special combination therewith ofgun and its support, all substantially as has-been described, it is intended to embrace in a separate application for Letters Patent of the United States to be hereinafter made, and all rights so to are here reserved.

\Vhile I have particularly described in connection with my improved recoil-check a spein combination withthe air-chamber and intoo cial' form of gun-carriage, I do not wish to be understood as claiming the same herein, as it will form the subject-matter of another application for patent.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I-claim as new, and desire to secureby 1. In a disappearing gun carriage, the beams or links attached to the gun, the cylinder designed to contain compressed air or otheraeri- -form 'fluid, and the piston having a link and ,the gun,'and a guidewayfor said block and having its piston slide block connected with IIO inthe-ports,substantially'as described.

'3. In a'disappearing gun-.carriage,'the pivoted beams or links attached to the gun,a

cylinder located contiguous to thegun and having its piston-rod attached to a slide-block,

pivoted to said beams or links and mounted npona guideway, an air-chamber contiguous to the cylinder, ports connecting the air-charm her and cylinder, and check-valves in the ports and so arranged as to close when the i pressureof air inthe air-chamber exceeds gunt the cylinder designed to. contain compres'sed-airol other aeriforin fluid, the piston having 'a head of slightly less diameter than the interior of thecylindcr and attached to the gun, the air-chamber comifiunicating with the cylinder, and the supplemental passage having a cock and connecting the air-chamber and cylinder, substantially as described.

1'11 testimon whereof I have hereunto set my hand in t he presenceof two subscribing witnesses HARRY A. SPILLER. \Vitnesses:

ALBERT W. BROWN, HENRY F. MOKEEVER. 

